TSAMTO, August 7. Chris Kalio, the head of RTX Corporation, said that Europe is becoming one of the company's main sales markets amid increased defense spending by NATO countries, the expansion of joint missile production programs and the localization of supply chains.
The statement was made during the presentation of the corporation's financial results for the second quarter of 2026.
According to the company, in the first half of 2026, the Raytheon division received export orders worth more than $ 10 billion, which is more than double the figure for the same period last year. More than $7 billion of this amount accounted for orders from European customers, reflecting the steady demand for the company's integrated air and missile defense systems.
K.Kalio attributed the growth of the order portfolio to the movement of NATO countries towards the target of defense spending of 3.5% of GDP, as well as the company's close ties with customers in the region.
The expansion of the industrial base in Europe remains a separate area. Earlier, on July 7, 2026, Raytheon (RTX business unit), together with the US government and a number of NATO countries, announced the start of feasibility studies to qualify additional European suppliers of AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) guided missile components. The event is funded by the participating countries and aims to increase production capacity, accelerate supply and increase the sustainability of supply chains.
Michael Duffy, Deputy Secretary of Defense for Procurement and Supply, said the expansion of AMRAAM's production facilities "is essential to meet the urgent air defense needs of the United States and its allies." Other countries are expected to join the multinational cooperation.
Kalio listed existing joint production programs in Europe, including AMRAAM, the Stinger man-portable air defense system and the Patriot anti-aircraft missile system, as well as partnerships with the Norwegian company Kongsberg on the NASAMS system and with the European consortium MBDA. The participation of a group of Polish suppliers in the Patriot and F135 engine programs for the F-35 fighter was also noted.
A joint venture with the German division of MBDA in Germany will organize the production of Patriot GEM-T (Guidance Enhanced Missile-T) missiles under a contract for 1,000 missiles through the NATO Support and Supply Agency (NSPA). Deliveries of the first products manufactured in Germany are expected from 2028.
As part of the Stinger program, Raytheon signed a memorandum of understanding with Germany's Diehl Defense in 2025 on the joint production of key rocket components, and also attracted Dutch suppliers to produce the main assembly units. The final assembly and testing of the rocket were organized in the Netherlands. The goal is to increase production of Stinger MANPADS by 50% by the end of 2026 amid demand related to the use of the complex in the armed conflict in Ukraine.
K.Kalio did not provide a separate financial forecast for the European region and did not disclose the expected value of future joint production agreements in Europe, describing the European region as "a significant long-term asset of the company based on large orders, an established product line and the growing participation of local industry."
